“My little 2-year-old's failing liver has made her look so sick that whoever sees her cannot believe how yellow her skin and eyes are. Every time that I have to explain her condition to them, I fear that Ayesha too might succumb to liver failure like my first child.”

Ayesha’s condition reminds parents of the tragic loss of their first child

Aijar and Hajera had lost their first daughter when she was just 14 months, and suffered the same disease as Ayesha. 

“Ayesha’s pain is gnawing at her insides. She even passes dark yellow urine and clay-colored stools. Her skin and eyes are so yellow that they look like they have been painted. She can’t even eat because of her irritability. Her stomach is swollen because of the insane amount of fluid accumulated in her belly. I am scared that we might lose her any moment."

Days and nights are equally painful for both baby and parents

Little Ayesha is not only suffering from rapid liver failure, but is anemic too. Her hemoglobin levels have dropped to 3 (12.1 to 15.1 g/dL is ideal). She scratches herself a lot, and just cries out to her parents to save her from this misery. 

We have not slept for weeks now. My baby keeps waking up at night and cries in pain. Right now, she needs blood every day to survive. Doctors have told us that a liver transplant is the only way to save my baby.

The parents' lack of awareness and poor finances are what delayed Ayesha's treatment till now

Aijaz and Hajera had lost their first baby to lack of awareness. She had somehow undergone a surgery, but that couldn’t save her. Local doctors had told them that there was no permanent solution and the baby would not live no matter what. Ayesha’s condition deteriorated while the parents were looking for help to fund her treatment because they had already spent a lot on their first child.

“I had carried my first baby in my arms every day in the hope that she will live. With Ayesha too, I  have been doing the same. She is admitted to a hospital now, thanks to money I borrowed from some friends. Neither Hajera nor I can imagine our lives without her now. I can go to any extent to save her."

The parents' income is nowhere close to the cost of the treatment

Aijar couldn’t do a permanent job soon after Ayesha was diagnosed with liver failure. He does odd jobs in his locality in Hyderabad. While he manages to earn a maximum of Rs 7,000 a month, he had to spend Rs 50,000 in just 24 hours. He has already spent almost Rs 2 lakhs and has nothing left. He has lost all his savings and is already neck-deep in debt. The parents seem to have reached the dead end but they are not ready to watch their baby die in front of their eyes.

How you can help

2-year-old Ayesha is suffering from acute liver failure. She needs an urgent liver transplant or she will die. But her desperate parents cannot arrange Rs 16 lakh and are scrambling for money to save her.